The "Fortune 500" is a list of the 500 largest companies in the United States as compiled by Fortune magazine. Only 13 black executives have ever made it to the Chairman or CEO position of a "Fortune 500" listed company. Of these 13 executives, there are currently 6 active. Franklin Raines became the first black person to lead a "Fortune 500" company, when he became CEO of Fannie Mae in 1999. On July 1, 2009, Ursula Burns became the first black woman to head a Fortune 500 company.
Updated April 7, 2012.
| CEO | Company | Rank | Revenue ($ bil.) | Profits ($ mil.) |
| Kenneth C. Frazier | Merck & Co., Inc | 57 | 48.0 | 6,272.0 |
| Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. | TIAA-CREF | 88 | 34.1 | 2,388.4 |
| Kenneth I. Chenault | American Express | 95 | 32.3 | 4,935.0 |
| Don Thompson | McDonald's | 107 | 27.0 | 5,503.1 |
| Ursula M. Burns | Xerox Corporation | 127 | 22.6 | 1,295.0 |
| Clarence Otis, Jr. | Darden Restaurants, Inc. | 342 | 7.6 | 476.3 |
Born: April 11, 1956, Vicksburg, MS.
Company: Darden Restaurants, Inc.
Position: Chief Executive Officer and President
Industry: Food Services
Country: United States[more]
Born: 1963, Chicago, IL.
Company: McDonald's
Position: CEO
Industry: Food
Country: United States[more]
Company: Merck & Co., Inc.
Position: President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Industry: Health Care
Country: United States[more]
Born: June 2, 1951, New York, New York.
Company: American Express
Position: Chairman and CEO
Industry: Financial Services
Country: United States[more]
Born: October 28, 1951, Washington, D.C.
Company: TIAA-CREF
Position: President and CEO
Industry: Insurance
Country: United States[more]
Born: New York, New York, September 20, 1958
Company: Xerox Corporation
Position: Chairman and CEO
Industry: Printing and Imaging Equipment
Country: United States[more]
Born: May 28, 1954, Houston, TX.
Company: Potbelly Sandwich Works
Position: Chief Executive Officer and President
Industry: Food Services
Country: United States[more]
Born: January 14, 1949, Seattle, Washington
Company: Revolution LLC
Position: Director
Industry: Financial Services
Country: United States[more]
Born: April 24, 1949, in Fort Dix, New Jersey
Company: Virtual Instruments
Position: CEO
Industry: Technology
Country: United States[more]
Company: CleanTech Solutions Worldwide, LLC,
Position: Chairman and CEO,
Industry: Waste Management Services, Food Manufacturing,
Country: United States[more]
Born: April 4, 1948, Brooklyn, NY
Company: Citigroup Inc.
Position: Chairman
Industry: Financial Services
Country: United States[more]
Born: c. 1954
Company: Delphi Corporation
Position: Chief Executive Officer and President
Industry: Automotive
Country: United States[more]
Born: c. 1950
Company: RW2 Enterprises
Position: Chairman and CEO
Industry: Health Care
Country: United States[more]
Born: 1959, Little Rock, Arkansas,
Company: Infor Global Solutions,
Position: CEO,
Industry: Computer Technology,
Country: United States[more]
Born: c. 1962,
Company: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.,
Position: President and CEO, Sam's Club,
Industry: Retail,
Country: United States[more]
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